A whisky coming into its prime. This 15-year-old single malt, which spends its final three years in oloroso sherry casks, is elegantly balanced between this sherry influence and the distillery's fruit and peat characteristics – including a siren-like whisper of tropical fruit that will delight fans of older-style Bowmore. Now is the time to try Bowmore 15 Year Old, which reflects the best of the distillery's output from around the new millennium.

Bowmore 15 Year Old Reviews

Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes by Billy A

Nose: A balance of leathery sherry notes and fruity touches. Ripe mangos, wine gums and Gummi Bears sit on one side; tarred ropes, burnt sugar, medicinal edges, spiced fruit and burnt raisins (the ones that puff up and go crunchy on the edges of fruit cake) sit on the other. More sweetness developed as it sat in the glass, along with hints of coconut and vanilla appearing.

Palate: Pungent fruit and peat smoke, with grapefruit, linseed oil, and some floral touches, balanced by black liquorice, green leaves and some menthol. Water brought out more sweetness, with tropical touches, blackcurrant, cinnamon sugar and fruity chews developing along with spiced lebkuchen.

This is a very nice little drop of whiskey nice and smooth and at a good price as well

4

Highlander
25 June 2018

Dark and full flavoured, with sherry, fruit and peat its main features. Good and when I got it there was £10 off! A very full flavoured dram!

5

James
24 May 2018

Wonderful whisky. Not over powering Islay characteristics but they are all there. Many layers of flavour, really good stuff.

5

Foz
15 May 2018

The first sip felt seriously peaty, but thereafter the sweeter hints from the sherry cask came through and give a delicious balance!

5

Anonymous
15 May 2018

I knew this was a great whisky. The only worry I had was shipping it across the Atlantic Ocean to USA. Kate did an awesome job on packaging of the bottles.

4

Tumelo Ralinala
27 April 2018

Burnt candy. Blood red. Dark sherry. Honeyed coffee.

5

Rick SnowThe Sherry cask mix this delicious it’s a must-have I see it’s a 97 of 100
24 April 2018

Wow great taste fruity chocolate smoky The Sherry cask make this delicious it’s a must-have I say it’s a 97 of 100

4

Tumelo Ralinala
12 April 2018

Dark sherry. Burnt candy. Blood red. Honeyed coffee.

5

Losmi
28 March 2018

Smooth, rich, peaty but not too much, fruity, a bit salty, perfect balance and just the right levels of everything. Amazing whisky!

5

Cooky
10 January 2018

When I first tried this I didn’t like it. But the taste stayed with me, haunting my dreams, challenging me to take another sip. So a couple of weeks later, I tried it. Wow! It’s unbelievably complex. I now in love with it! It’s truly astonishing!

4

DaveHenry
30 December 2017

A fine Malt Whisky - the sweetness of the sherry cask finish providing good balance to the hints of peat and smoke.

4

Anonymous
18 December 2017

Loved this. Don't normally go for Islay malt but thought I would give this a go. Don't regret it.

3

Kevin
17 February 2017

Very viscous syrupy slow legs.
N- slight smoke, sweet, fruitcake, syrupy, caramel sugars, toffee, candy, suggestive of a PX cask finish
P- full bodied, sulphury notes, leathery, off note of dried fruit, burnt raisins and sultanas, plastic
F- medium, slightly spice, slightly resinous.
Overall - reasonable but not stunning. Not like a Bowmore as smoke is weak and not reflective of 35-40 hrs over peat. Suspect the malt here has spent less time over peat reducing ppm and guaiacols.
Conclusion - ok but wouldn't rush out to buy this.
F-

5

Larry
23 December 2016

I`m normally not a single malt drinker. But, this scotch changed my way of thinking.
When I go out to dinner if this on the menu, it`s my first choice.
It also mixes well.
I like it in a " Blood & Sand "

4

DanL
17 November 2016

I had resigned myself to being someone who would always default to a highland or speyside whiskey rather than something with heavy peat. I tried Bowmore 15 Darkest at a tasting in early 2015 and haven't looked back. The sherry cask finish makes this a perfect bridge from the sweeter flavours a lot of newer scotch enthusiasts enjoy to the heavier Islay malts. I bought a bottle that week and when it was done, I moved on to the Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and so on. If you find you're always opting for the sweeter styles, give this one a try and it may help you open the door to a whole world of great Islay malts.